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Medicare Reform: Shots From the Right

Aired June 19, 2003 - 15:07   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


KATE SNOW, CNN ANCHOR: Now on to Capitol Hill, where conservatives are grumbling publicly now about the president's push for prescription drug benefits.
Let's go to our Congressional correspondent Jonathan Karl for a quick update.

Hi, Jon.

JONATHAN KARL, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kate.

Well, in a sign of a growing conservative revolt over this prescription drug bill, which is moving so fast here through Capitol Hill, 27 conservative Republican senators have written a letter to the president, urging that he insist on changes being made to this Senate prescription drug bill plan. They want to see more market reform, more efforts to control the long-term growth and the cost of the Medicare program as part of the deal on prescription drugs.

In this letter, they say that if these changes are not made -- quote -- "we fear this legislation will instead do harm to Medicare and to the health of seniors over the long term."

So Kate, as you well know, this prescription drug bill has been flying through Congress, but now it looks like some conservative Republican senators -- in fact, the majority of Republican senators, now have some serious concerns about the bill.

SNOW: And that could be a big deal for seniors out there. Thank you, Jon Karl.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired June 19, 2003 - 15:07   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KATE SNOW, CNN ANCHOR: Now on to Capitol Hill, where conservatives are grumbling publicly now about the president's push for prescription drug benefits.
Let's go to our Congressional correspondent Jonathan Karl for a quick update.

Hi, Jon.

JONATHAN KARL, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kate.

Well, in a sign of a growing conservative revolt over this prescription drug bill, which is moving so fast here through Capitol Hill, 27 conservative Republican senators have written a letter to the president, urging that he insist on changes being made to this Senate prescription drug bill plan. They want to see more market reform, more efforts to control the long-term growth and the cost of the Medicare program as part of the deal on prescription drugs.

In this letter, they say that if these changes are not made -- quote -- "we fear this legislation will instead do harm to Medicare and to the health of seniors over the long term."

So Kate, as you well know, this prescription drug bill has been flying through Congress, but now it looks like some conservative Republican senators -- in fact, the majority of Republican senators, now have some serious concerns about the bill.

SNOW: And that could be a big deal for seniors out there. Thank you, Jon Karl.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com